Some people just can't take a compliment.

 Here I sit, potentially for 6 to 8 weeks with a stress fracture in my foot. I’m not whining, but, it’s really given me time to think about how lucky I am to have the ability to create things that interest people.

 I’ll start with woodworking. About ten years ago, when we moved into our new house, there were certain things that we needed that I knew i could make for myself. Hutches, shelves, desks. you know, all the things you could get from wal-mart, but usually the wrong size, shape or color. After about 2 years, i started getting compliments about how attractive,practical and affordable these things were to create. I appreciate all of the compliments. After a few equipment upgrades, I started a website, facebook page and this blog. Assuming everybody felt the same way that I did about custom woodworking, I announced that I was available (in my spare time) to build whatever anyone wanted. Not many takers...friends of friends and word of mouth were the sources of my best success’. The compliments were great, the clicks on the ‘like’ button were awesome, but, most of my tools sat, unused. I realized that the difference between someone wanting something custom made and getting something custom made was the act of buying it.

 Fast forward 4 years to about 4 years ago. I have always been a photographer. Getting professional quality portraits of my family was really my goal from the start. Once, upon getting prints made at Walgreens, they told me I couldn't reprint the professional photos without the photographer’s permission. This swelled my ego and I have since gotten a lot of compliments for the quality of work that I do.  I began taking my camera to the gigs my band was playing and photographing the opening bands that played with us, posting them, the next day, on their facebook/web pages, after a short time was spent editing them. I have taken over 12,000 pictures of local bands, as I watch their fans take dozens of blurry photos with their cell phones. These pictures, also get compliments and ‘likes’ and are usually deemed ‘good enough’ and I see them posted all the time.

 Again, after several equipment upgrades, I decided to offer my services as a photographer to friends and family. I got all the free work, compliments and facebook ‘likes’ I could handle. Yet, no ‘customers.

 The next few weeks are going to be the best for outdoor photography. Park locations and the red tree in your backyard are absolutely free backdrops. Only a few short weeks after that, it’s time for Christmas photos. The camera phone is a great capture device, of late and I use mine, as well as my point and shoot cameras all the time. However, they were never meant to replace a photographer, setting up a shot and recording a memory that’s worthy of hanging on a wall or posting for all of the world to see (or click ‘like’). The photos we have taken of our 90 year old grandmas and ourselves aren't for us. They’re for our children.

 I wish people would stop thinking an Ipone picture and a Walmart desk are good enough. Many of us creative and ‘complimented’ people don’t really agree.

Buy local and don’t settle. (don’t stop at clicking the ‘like’ button)

www.collinsimaging.net